1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for retaining and storing liquid media, for example medications, and a method for expelling liquid media from a device for retaining and/or storing liquid media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Syringes, in particular glass syringes which serve to retain and store liquid media, have become known from the state of the art. EP 1 600 190 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,3564 describe a syringe body for retaining and/or storing a liquid medium, for example a medication which was placed into the syringe body, whereby the syringe body which serves to store or respectively retain the fluid is closed off at one distal end, sealing it. In EP 1 600 190 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,364 a sealing cap is screwed onto a fastening ring for injecting the injection fluid and a syringe needle is secured to the fastening ring and thereby to the syringe body in such a way that a needle opening extending through the syringe needle has a flow connection with the distal opening of the syringe body. The disadvantage of the containers for retaining or respectively storing of liquid medications according to EP 1 600 190 A1 and respectively U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,364 is that, after the syringe fluid is expelled through the needle from the syringe body, the needle protrudes beyond the syringe body and the spent syringe bodies with the protruding needle represented an injury risk.
Hypodermic syringes whose needles still protrude after use can lead to pricks resulting in subsequent treatment of especially hospital personnel.
A device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 for a plastic syringe which cannot be used as a storage and retention container for medications whereby a syringe needle can be retracted into the syringe after use. According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 it was disadvantageous that the system specified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 had to be filled prior to being administered, since the plastic material of the syringe according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 was not suitable for extended storage of medications. Moreover, in the system according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 many different components are used which are in direct contact with the medication and which require certification. It is furthermore disadvantageous that the needle must be retracted into a plunger rod. This requires a hollow plunger rod.
DE 697 28 062 describes a possibility to retain a needle in such a way that it only punctures a septum after removal of the cap and does therefore not have any contact with the medication until it is used. It is also disadvantageous herein that the plunger rod must be especially designed in order to accommodate the needle after use of the syringe.
A device for administering a medication has become known from WO 2010/100244 whereby when expelling the medication first a seal member is punctured, preferably by a needle. Once the medication has been completely expelled, the needle can again be retracted into the syringe body by means of the plunger with which the medication was expelled. However, this does not occur automatically after delivery, but the needle must be actively retracted into the plunger. An additional problem in WO 2010/100244 is that a re-use cannot be ruled out with certainty.
WO 2012/000838 and WO 2012/000832 describe a syringe with which a medication can be administered via a needle. In WO 2012/000838 and WO 2012/000832 the medication is also pushed out from the storage container by means of a plunger. After expulsion of the medication, the needle with the entire receptacle is again retracted. The disadvantage of this system is on the one hand the relatively large space requirement and on the other hand that a multiple use cannot be entirely prevented, in addition to the large number of individual components.
A device has become from WO 2011/106870 wherein a septum is administered from a cartridge closed by a plunger. It is disadvantageous in WO 2011/106870 that the plunger is a separate component.
US 2009/0259195 A1 illustrates a syringe with a container which comprises a movable sealing ring. The displacement of the movable sealing ring has the disadvantage that a plurality of components must be sterilized. US 2009/0259195 A1 also describes a thrusting device which moves inside the hollow storage container.
A container is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,417 with a closure element and a solid bottom which can be used in a syringe. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,438 illustrates a syringe with a needle retraction device.
What is needed in the art is a device to retain and store liquid media, for example medications, which overcomes the deficiencies and disadvantages of the existing art. The device should have a syringe body which on the one hand enables media to be retained, and on the other hand avoids the risk of injury, as for example in a system according to EP 1 600 190 A1. Moreover such a device should include as few contact pieces as possible for the medications.